Insulated electrical conductor



Sept. 29, 1936. A, 5 WATSON 2,056,130

INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR Filed April 9, 1932 INVENTOR ATTORNEYSPatented Sept. 29, 1936 2,056,130

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,056,130 INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORArthur Stanley Watson, Norton, Mass, assignor to General CableCorporation, New York, N. Y a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationApril 9, 1932, Serial No. 604,219 9 Claims. (01. 173264) This inventionrelates to electrical conductors stearin pitch, or the like, whichcompletely covand more particularly to insulated conductors of ers thefibers and completely fills the voids in the the type usually employedin exposed locations fiber layer to bind the fibers together, to provideinvention are adapted for general use and are place and are themselvesprotected against abranot limited to conductors of any one type. sion byan outer protective, abrasion-resistant tion and arrangement ofinsulating and protectwhich compresses the felted fibers, binds them in10 ing cover capable of resisting deterioration due place and forms aprotective outer jacket. The to exposure to weather for prolongedperiods of braid is saturated with a suitable bituminous satpllshed bymeans of the invention hereinafter deand binding the fibers of the braidtogether to scribed, one embodiment of which is illustrated formadequate abrasion and weather protection.

layers being progressively exposed to illustrate layer. A smooth surfaceII can be provided by the detailed construction. any suitable finishingmaterial capable of pro- The particular embodiment of the inventionviding suitable weather resistance and preventwhich has been chosen forthe purposes of illusing migration of the saturant It] at the same timetration is shown in connection with a stranded providing a smooth,non-sticky surface. A high conductor 5 which may, if desired, be solid.A melting point flexible stearin pitch will produce moisture seal 6 isprovided by a sheath of homoa smooth, dry coating capable of beingpolished geneous moisture-resistant material such as unand tending toprevent any tackiness from the vulcanized rubber which surrounds theconducbituminous saturant I0, and will also permit the tor and, whenstranded wires are employed, fills wire or cable to be easily drawn intoposition inating all possible open spaces in such valleys. compound, ametallic oxide paint will also be sat- The plastic, unvulcanized rubberis highly reisfactory as an outer finish coat.

sistant to deterioration by ozone, and the mois- The use of a highmelting point bituminous ture seal formed thereby is not readily subjectsaturant in the protective cover, either in the to d ma by ron I h vefound that a very felted layer 1 as described, or in the outer braidthin rubber wall, in some instances as thin as a: 9, provides a fillingmaterial which will not mio a inch, forms a Satisfactory ure Seal. grateunder weather conditions or leave any part The thickness of the wall mayvary somewhat of the cover unprotected by the saturant.

with different sizes of conductors but in general I 1 i will be of theorder specified. 1, An article of m Over the unvulc nized rubbercompound amatcombination a conductor, a plastic moisture-reted layer 1of cotton or other fiber is formed. t t h t surrounding said conductor,a

The fi y e applied in the form of a rovprotective cover comprising afelted fibrous layer i or the fibers may be substantially ind ysurrounding said moisture-resistant sheath, a 4,5

applied in he m n r ri ed in a n n high melting point bituminoussaturant filling application of Frank M. Potter, Serial No. 8, saidfelted layer, an abrasion-resistant braid imfiled April 9, 1932, to forma seamless, felted layer mediately enclosing the saturated fibrous layerof interentangled fibers. The fibrous layer forms compressing andbinding the fibres in place, a.

anufacture comprising in a soft cushion over the rubber which protectsflexible moisture-resistant bituminous saturant 5 it against a ra n a wp p urated, filling said braid, and a coating of a high meltincreasesthe moisture seal. The matted fibers ing point stearin pitch surroundingsaid braid are saturated with a saturant 8 comprising a high and forminga smooth outer surface.

melting point bituminous compound such, for ex- 2. An article ofmanufacture comprising in 6 ample, as blown asphalt, or a high meltingpoint combination a stranded conductor, a plastic mols- 5 ture-resistantcompound surrounding said conductor and filling the valleys between saidstrands, a felted cushion of fibrous material surrounding said moistureseal, a high melting point bituminous saturant filling said feltedlayer, an abrasion-resistant braid immediately enclosing the saturatedfibrous layer compressing and binding the fibres in place, a flexiblemoisture resistant bituminous saturant filling said braid, and a coatingof a high pitch surrounding said smooth outer surface.

3. An article of manufacture comprising in combination a conductor, ahomogeneous moisture-resistant layer of unvulcanized rubber surroundingsaid conductor, a matted layer of fibrous material surrounding saidrubber, an abrasion-resistant braid enclosing the fibrous layercompressing and binding the fibres in place, a high melting pointbituminous saturant filling said felted layer and said braid, and asmooth outer coating of weather-resistant material sealing saidbituminous saturant against migration.

4. An article of manufacture comprising in combination a conductor, athin layer of rubber surrounding said conductor, a matted layer offibrous material surrounding said rubber, a bituminous saturantincorporated in said fibrous layer, an outer abrasion-resistant braid, asaturant comprising a high melting point bituminous compoundincorporated in said braid, and a non-sticky weather-resistant finishingmaterial surrounding said braid.

5. An article of manufacture comprising in combination a conductor, aplastic moisture-resistant compound surrounding said conductor, a feltedlayer surrounding said compound, a saturant comprising a high meltingpoint bituminous compound filling said felted layer, anabrasion-resistant braid surrounding said felted layer, a high meltingpoint bituminous compound fillbraid and forming a ing said braid, and asmooth, non-sticky coating of weather-resistant material over saidbraid, said non-ticcky coating sealing the underlying saturant againstmigration.

6. An article of manufacture comprising in combination a conductor, ahomogeneous moisture-resistant sheath of unvulcanized rubber surroundingsaid conductor, a matted layer of melting point stearin fibrous cottonforming a cushion around said rubber, a high melting pointmoisture-resistant bituminous saturant filling said matted layer, an

abrasion-resistant braid surrounding said matted layer, a flexiblemoisture-resistant bituminous saturant filling said braid and a layer ofa high melting point stearin pitch surrounding said braid and forming asmooth non-sticky outer surface.

7. An article of manufacture comprising in combination a conductor, ahomogeneous moisture-resistant sheath of unvulcanized rubber surroundingsaid conductor, a. felted layer of fibrous cotton forming a cushionaround said rubber, a high melting point moisture-resistant bituminoussaturant filling said felted layer, an abrasion-resistant braidsurrounding said felted layer compressing and binding the fibers inplace, a flexible moisture-resistant bituminous saturant filling saidbraid and a layer of metallic oxide paint forming a smooth non-stickyouter surface.

8. An article of manufacture comprising in combination a conductor, ahomogeneous moisture-resistant sheath of unvulcanized rubber surroundingsaid conductor, a matted layer of fibrous cotton forming a cushionaround said rubber, a high melting point moisture-resistant blownasphalt saturant filling said matted layer, an abrasion-resistant braidsurrounding said matted layer, a flexible moisture-resistant bituminoussaturant filling said braid and a layer of a high melting point stearinpitch surrounding said braid and forming a smooth non-sticky outersurface.

9. An article of manufacture comprising in combination a conductor, ahomogeneous moisture-resistant sheath of unvulcanized rubber surroundingsaid conductor, a matted layer of fibrous cotton forming a cushionaround said rubber, a high melting point moisture-resistantblown-asphalt saturant filling said matted layer, an abrasion-resistantbraid surrounding said matted layer, a flexible moisture-resistantbituminous saturant filling said braid and a layer of metallic oxidepaint forming a smooth nonsticky outer surface.

ARTHUR STANLEY WATSON.

